The compound bow was first developed in 1966 by Holless Wilber Allen in Missouri, and a US patent was granted in 1969. The compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system, usually of cables and pulleys, to bend the limbs. The use of this levering system “gives” as the compound bow is drawn, producing a characteristic draw-force curve which rises to a peak draw weight and then “lets off” a certain percentage of the peak draw weight as the draw continues to a full draw condition. The let-off is usually between 65% and 80% of the peak draw weight. Since the draw weight can range by as much as 30 to 100 pounds, this factor alone contributes to the physical capabilities that an archer must possess to participate in the sport of compound bow shooting. Not all potential archers have these physical capabilities. They can neither achieve the bow string draw nor hold the bow string draw until the arrow is on target and released. Still other archers have the physical capabilities but because of the fatigue factor or the desire to improve accuracy want a device to assist them with drawing and holding the bow string until the arrow is on target and released.
For many years archers have used draw-locks of various types, including the locking mechanisms used in crossbows. For compound bows, a draw-lock has generally been either a fixed rod along which the bowstring is drawn or a moveable rod drawn along with the bowstring. Both types use some sort of latch mechanism to lock the bowstring at full draw and a release mechanism to release the bowstring and propel the arrow.
This invention deals with the same general compound bow problem of mechanically drawing, holding, locking and releasing the arrow to relieve the archer of the physical capabilities required to perform these acts. This invention solves all these problems by employing a simple, easy to install second class lever mechanism that requires minimal strength to fully draw, hold, lock and release the arrow.